Blackburn Benidorm star Steve Pemberton has donated priceless memorabilia from his hit shows Inside No. 9 and Psychoville, as well as from his latest Taskmaster appearance, to raise money for Derian House Children’s Hospice.
As an ambassador for the Chorley-based charity, Steve hoped to raise up to £10,000 to help care for 400 children with life-limiting conditions and their families, but has far surpassed his target, raising a whopping £30,000.
Fans fought to get their hands on the shooting script of Inside No. 9's final episode, complete with signatures of more than 40 stars, which sold for £5,000 on an auction website.
Bids for a signed silver hare from the show also raised £5,000, a signed drawing sold for £2,000, and bids for a frozen head from the TV show Psychoville reached £1,500.
Steve, who was born in Blackburn and grew up in Chorley, also raffled off memorabilia from his recent appearance on Channel 4’s Taskmaster, including a handmade “mooning moon”, a Taskmaster envelope, and an Inside No. 9 framed print.
Derian House’s annual Stars and Cars event, which has raised £70,000, for the charity, also saw Steve pose for photos and chat with fans in return for donations.
Steve, who also starred in the League of Gentlemen, Benidorm and Happy Valley, said: “To raise so much money for a charity that does such important work makes me feel both proud and humbled.
"Thank you to all the Taskmaster and Inside No. 9 fans who bid on the items and helped raise such a wonderful amount.
“The response to the auctions has been amazing. It is overwhelming really that people are so excited and still remember the League of Gentlemen after 25 years.
"It’s also the 15th anniversary of Psychoville and the 10th year of Inside No. 9 which makes it even more special.
“I grew up very close to the site where Derian House stands and used to actually play football as a child on the field beside where the hospice is now, so the charity is very close to my heart and I am proud to support everything they do.”
Generous Steve also donated Barbara Dixon’s bright pink taxi, from League of Gentleman’s Babs Cabs, which helped raise funds at a 25-year celebration of League of Gentlemen in Hadfield, organised by fan-run League of Charities.
The event raised £1,000 to be split across four charities – including Derian House Children’s Hospice.
Mick Croskery, head of income generation at Derian House, said: "We are so thankful for all of Steve’s amazing support – it means the world to our families and staff.
“He has taken time out of his busy schedule and not only raised an incredible amount that will help us continue to do what we do, but he has also used his platform to help raise awareness of Derian House so we can reach even more children and their families.
“Care is free to families at Derian House, but it will cost £6 million to run the hospice this year.
"We rely on our kind-hearted supporters to raise 70p in every £1 as we only receive a small amount of funding from the government.”
Derian House, based in Astley Village, Chorley, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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